Mail receiving and delivering device.



R. GLENN. MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24,1913.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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NVENTOR l' y RfGLBNN. MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLIATION FILED JUNE 24,1913. 1,083,825. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

CBLUMBIA PLANGRAP ctx-,WASHINGTON D. c.

ROBERT GLENN, 0F MADISON, WISCONSIN.

MAIL RECEIVING AND DELIVERING DEVICE.

wessen Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

Application led J une 24, 1913. Serial No. 775,544.

To all whom 'it may concern."

Be it known that I, ROBERT GLENN, citizen of the United States, residing at Madison, in the county of Dane and State of llisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Receiving and Delivering Devices, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to a mail catching and delivering device, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a mail catcher in which the station arm may be swunO into alinement with the track upon receiving the mail sack from the car.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved means for releasably holding the station arm in the desired position.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved train device for holding the sack to be delivered and to take up the sack held by the station arm.

Another object of the invention is to provide the train device with an improved con struction permitting the train arm to swing into the car after delivering the sack.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved device for holding the sack to be delivered.

`With these and other objects in view this invention consists of certain novel combinations, constructions, and arrangements of parts as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the devices in operation. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the devices with the car shown in section. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the device which holds the station arm in the desired position. Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the manner of pivotally mounting the station arm.

This invention comprises a post 10 mounted adjacent the station 11. Bearings 12 are carried by the post 10 and permit the standard 13 to be pivotally connected with the post. Collars 14 are formed upon the standard 13 to limit the downward movement of the standard. A disk 15 is rigidly mounted adjacent the upper end of the standard 13 and is provided with notches 16 and 17 forming pockets to receive a latching arm to be hereinafter described.

Upon the upper end portion of the standard there is mounted a crane arm 18 which is held in place by the key 19 and which rests upon the spring 2O having one end portion 21 engaging the crane arm 18 and the lower end portion 22 engaging the disk 15 with a bracing arm 23 extending from the crane arm intermediate its length and surrounds the standard between the spring 20 and the disk 15. By this construction the spring 20 will normally have a tendency to hold the crane arm in the position shown in Fig. 2 when the device is not being used to catch a mail sack. A latch 24: is pivotally mounted in a slot 25 formed in the crane 18 and is normally held in engagement with the edge of the disk 15 by the spring 26 so that when the crane is turned the latch will fit into one of the notches 16I An arm 27 is provided intermediate its length with a pivot pin 28 passing through a bearing 29 at the free end of the crane arm 18. This pin 28 is held in place by the nut 30 and carries a disk 31 adjacent its lower end which disk is provided with a linger 32 connected with the outer end of a spring 33 having its inner end connected with a pin 34 in the crane arm 18. A block 35 is secured to the arm 27 and is so posi tioned that when the crane is swung to the position shown in Fig. 1 with the latch fitting in the notch 17 the latch may engage the block 35 to hold the arm 27 in the eX- tended position. When the mail sack is delivered from 'the train the force of the blow causes the crane to be swung to the position indicated at the right in dotted lines in Fig. 2 thus permitting the latch to move into the notch 16 and thus causing the upper end of the latch to move out of the notch 3G form-ed in the block 35 to permit the arm 27 to swing to the position shown in Fig. 2. AA handle 3G is provided to permit the arm 27 to be easily turned by the station master. A double ended hook 37 is carried adjacent the outer end of the arm 27 and is secured in place by the bars 38 which extend above the arm and form abutments. A bar 39 is secured to the arm 27 by means of the bolt 4t() and is held in its normal position by the spring t1 secured to the underface of the arm 27. The end portions of the bar 39 are split and formed into the forks 12 for supporting a mail sack to be delivered to the train.

The train device comprises a supporting bracket 43 secured to the wall of the car 44 and is provided with upper and lower flanges 45 and 46. A bar 47 is pivotally mounted upon a pin 4S and is intended to rest upon the flange 46 when the train device is extended to deliver or receive a mail sack. A spring 49 is coiled about the pin 4S and has one end passing through an opening in the Flange 45 and its lower end enOaGinO the bar 47 to normallv hold the C 'C3 b J same at the free end of the curved slotted arm 50 as shown in Fig. 2. pin 5l is carried by the bar 47 and extends through a slot 52 to guide the movement of the bar upon the arm 50 and an abutment 53 is placed at the tree end of the arm 50 to limit the movement ot' the bar. YWhen the train device is extended it is held by a catch to be hereinafter described, which catch is re` leased when a mail sack is caught by the train device, thus permitting the spring to swing the bar 47 from the position shown in Fig. l to that shown in Fig. 2 and draw the train device into the car.

An arm 54 has its inner end portion 55 pivotally mounted upon the pin 5l and connected with the outer portion by the hinge 56. A bar 57 is secured to the arm 54 by the pin 58 and is normally held in the desired position by the spring 59 so that the mail bag may be suspended from the forked end portion 60 of the bar 57 and caught by the hook 37. A hook 6l is secured to the arm 54 and is provided with an abutment 62 which will prevent the mail bag caught by the train device from moving inwardly beyond a desired distance. A lever 68 is pivotally connected with the arm 54 by means of the bearings G4 and has its outer end bent to form the handle 65 extending beneath the hook 6l so that when the mail bag is caught the handle will be struck and the lever rocked to bring the latch 66 out of engagement with the plate 67 to release the train device and permit the spring to swing the train device inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 2.

rihe mail sacks are held by the device shown in Fig. l which comprises an open body portion 68 having arms G9 and 70, which arms are provided with pins 7l and 72. Hooks 73 are secured to the arm 7 0 to permit a number ot mail sacks to be suspended. The device holding the mail sacks which are to be delivered from the train is supported by resting the ngers 17 upon the forked end portion G0 of the bar 57, thus holding the open body portion above the arm 57 where it is in the proper position for the hook 37 to pass through the body portion and remove the sack Jfrom the train device. rihe holding device for the sac ts which are to be delivered from the station is suspenc ed from one of the forked end portions 42 of the bar 39 by means of the pins 7l. The hook 6l can then readily pass through the open body portion of the sack holding device to remove the same from the station device.

lVhen this device is in use the two sacks are put in place upon the train device and stat-ion device and are taken oil as the train passes the station. As soon as the mail sack strikes the arm 27 it causes the crane to rotate until the latch 24 passes into the notch 16. This will cause the crane to stop rotating and will release the arm 27 to permit the spring to bring the arm to the position shown in Fig. 2. rThe mail sack can then be removed by the station master and the arm 27 will extend parallel to the track and out of the way. TWhen the mail bag is caught by the hook Gl the catch is released and the spring 49 will spring the train device into the mail car where the sack can be removed and the outer end portion of the arm 54 turned back upon the inner end portion where it will be out of the way.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

l. A. mail catcher including a4 station device coinprising a standard, a crane pivotally connected with said standard, an arm pivotally connected with said crane, a disk carried by said standard and provided with notches forming pockets, resilientmeans Jfor holding' said crane in a normal position, resilient means for holding said arm in a normal position, and a latch carried by said crane and engaging said disk and arm whereby said crane and arm may be held in an adjusted position and said arm released when said crane is returned to its normal position.

2. A mail catcher including a station device comprising a standard, a disk carried by said standard and provided with a plurality of notches, a crane pivot-ally mounted upon said standard, a spring coiled about said standard and engaging said disk and crane for holding said crane in a normal posit-ion, an arm pivotally connected with said crane, mail catching and delivering means carried by said arm, a. spring carried by said crane and engaging said arm for holding the same in a normal position, a latch carried by said cra-ne and engaging said disk and adapted to engage said arm to hold the same in an adjusted position, and a spring carried by said crane and engaging said latch for holding the same in engagement Tith said disk whereby said latch will be held in one of the notches of said disk to hold said crane in an adjusted position and be drawn into a second notch ot said disk to release said arm and permit the same to be returned to its normal position.

3. A mail catcher including a station device comprising a standard, a crane pivotiis ally connected with said standard, a disk carried by said standard, a brace extending from said crane and surrounding said standard, a spring surrounding said standard between said crane and the inner end of said brace and having its end portions connected with said disk and crane to hold said crane in a normal position, an arm pivotally connected with said crane, a finger extending from the pivot pin of said arm, a spring having its inner end connected with said crane and its outer end with said nger to hold said arm in a normal position, a latch carried by said crane and adapted to engage said arm to hold the same in an adjusted position, and a spring connecting one end of said latch with said brace whereby said latch will be held in engagement with said disk.

4:. A mail catcher including a train device comprising a supporting bracket, a slotted arm extending from said supporting bracket, a bar pivotally connected with said bracket and provided with a pin extending through the slot of said arm, resilient means for normally holding said bar at the outer end of said arm, a bar having its inner and outer end portions hinged together and having its inner end portion pivotally connected with said bar, a latch carried by said last mentioned arm and holding said train device in an extended position, and catching means carried by said last mentioned arm and positioned adjacent said latch whereby a sack caught by said catching means will move said latch to release said train device and permit said train device to be swung inwardly.

5. A mail catcher including a train device comprising a pivotally mounted bar, resilient means for holding said bar in a normal position, an arm extending from said bar, a latch carried by said arm for holding said train device in an extended position against the tension of said resilient means, and catching means carried by said arm and positioned adjacent said latch whereby said latch may be operated by a sack caught by said catching means to permit said train device to be swung inwardly by said releasing means.

6. A mail catcher including a train device comprising a supporting bracket having upper and lower flanges, an arm extending from one of said flanges, a bar pivotally mounted between said iianges and adapted to be supported when in an adjusted position by the lower flange, a spring engaging said bracket and bar for normally holding sald bar at the outer end of said arm, an arm extending from said bar, a latch carried by said arm for holding said train device in an extended position, and catching means carried by said last mentioned arm adjacent said latch whereby a mail sack caught by said catching means may release said latch.

7 A mail catching device including a train device comprising a pivotally mounted bar, an arm extending from said bar, a fork bar extending from said arm, an ear extending from said fork bar, a spring connected with said arm and with said ear for holding said fork bar in a normal position, a latch carried by said arm for holding said train device in an extended position, and sack catching means located adjacent said latch.

S. A mail catching and delivering device comprising a train device, resilient means for normally holding said train device within the car, a latch for holding said train device in an extended position, catch means carried by said train device adjacent said latch, delivering means carried by said train device, a mounted station device, means carried by said station device for holding the sack in a position to be taken up by the catching device of said train device whereby the latch may be released to permit said train device to be swung inwardly, and means carried by said station device for removing a sack from the holding means of said train device.

9. A mail catcher including a sack holding device comprising an open body portion, arms extending above and below said body portion, pins extending from said arms for connecting said sack holding device with a supporting means, and means carried by said lower arm for engaging a sack.

10. In a mail delivering device, a supporting bar having a forked end port-ion, a sack holding device comprising a body portion, upper and lower arms extending from said body portion, pins extending from said arms and adapted to be engaged by the forked end portion of said forked arm to support the same, and means carried by said lower arm for engaging a sack.

In testimony whereof I hereunto atlix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ROBERT GLENN. 1Witnesses:

ELMA GLENN, J. C. HAnrnn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

